


Look Away

by Silex



Category: Among Us (Video Game)
Genre: Alien Impostor(s) (Among Us), Gen, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Paranoia, Suspense, Suspicions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28273050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silex/pseuds/Silex
Summary: No one liked Orange. It wasn't that he was suspicious, just miserable. Learning that there was an imposter among the crew only made him worse.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14
Collections: Holiday Horror 2020





	Look Away

**Author's Note:**

  * For [firelord65](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firelord65/gifts).



No one liked Orange.

From the start he’d been overbearing, insisting that, because this wasn’t the first mission he’d been on that he knew best. As far as he was concerned there was only one way to do anything and that way was his way.

He had something to say about everything and plenty of advice to give despite no one asking him for it.

Even though it wasn’t necessary, he took it upon himself to delegate tasks, running the others ragged as they tried to keep up with the merciless schedule he set for himself because if he finished first, which he often did, he would follow them around offering advice on how to do their jobs faster.

His advice was never welcome, nor was it given kindly.

The way he tormented poor White when they again fumbled scanning their ID card or took painfully long to repair wiring was unforgivable.

Meek and quiet White, who, though they always struggled with the tasks assigned to them, would go out of their way to tag along and help anyone else who needed.

Having White helping was like having a second shadow or a particularly curious cat, awkward and sometimes getting in the way, but always tolerated, if only to protect them from Orange’s scathing criticisms.

Everyone liked White, a fact as undisputable as the universal antipathy for Orange.

When the crew had been notified that there was an imposter on the Skeld Orange had, not unexpectedly, taken charge.

_Everyone needs to keep together_ , he insisted, telling them how to pair off, _If the Imposter acts we’ll know right away._

They all looked at him, wondering, then looked at each other.

Wondering.

Except for White, who stood off in a corner, looking nervously around as though they expected that they’d be the one stuck alone and vulnerable to danger.

_I’ll go with White_ , Cyan said immediately, both to protect them and so that she would be sparred working with Orange.

The two hurried off together, in as much as White ever hurried.

Green and Brown, always inseparable to begin with paired off, arguing in a friendly sort of way over which of their tasks to complete first.

After that it was a mad rush to pair off, the risk of ending up with the imposter seemingly negligible to the unpleasant reality of ending up working with Orange, until only Blue was left to trudge dejectedly after him.

When work was done for the day Orange insisted that they meet in the cafeteria so he could congratulate them all, but mostly himself, for how well his system had worked while Blue looked like she wanted to scream or cry or shove someone out an airlock. She settled for kicking a bit of dust on the floor that no one had bothered to sweep up and stomping out the door.

_Not so fast_ , Orange had said, _We can’t split up and let the Imposter get us while we sleep._

So they slept fitfully on the cafeteria floor, waking up at odd intervals and looking around, wondering which of them might be the imposter.

The next day Orange work everyone up earlier than normal with his loud demands to know what Green and Brown were doing sneaking off alone.

The two were indignant, wanting to know why they couldn’t go off and do their work together. Getting up first to stabilize the steering wasn’t harming anyone and they’d be doing it together so they wouldn’t be breaking Orange’s rules.

_We can’t slack off_ , Orange had insisted, _The moment we get lax with safety the Imposter will strike. We all need to know where everyone is and who they’re with. That way the Imposter can’t spread dissent and if it tries we’ll know that it’s them._

Brown and Green had a point, but even if everyone was willing to agree that neither one of them was likely to be the imposter, that still meant that the imposter was somewhere out there.

This time when Orange demanded they pair off everyone looked at Brown and Green, confident they were safe. It was clear that everyone wanted to be with one of them and if they remained together ill will would grow amidst the crew.

_Let’s go Blue_ , Green said quickly so that she wouldn’t again be stuck with Orange.

_You can come with me_ , Brown said gently to White, _I’ll teach you how to clear asteroids. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it eventually._

Again they paired off quickly, not wanting to be the one stuck with Orange.

Yellow ended up the unlucky one and made it clear that he didn’t intend on suffering in silence.

Every time he passed anyone in the halls between tasks Yellow whispered the suggestion that next time they draw straws or secretly write up a roster or anything so that he wouldn’t get stuck with Orange again.

Over the next few days, stuck in Orange’s partner system, it was discussed in secret, how to rotate tasks to not get stuck with him for more than a single day.

No one would be paired with him twice in a row, they all agreed.

And they’d never let White end up with him either.

White, who tried so hard to help and flinched every time Orange walked past them or wondered out loud why one of the crewmates was taking so long with a task.

Sometimes, randomly during the day Orange would pull teams away from their tasks, making them vouch for what they’d been doing or why they’d taken so long with what should have been an easy task, as though he didn’t realize that pairing off with White effectively meant two sets of tasks for whoever was paired with them.

Tensions ran high and fear of the imposter was strong.

Stories of what had happened to other crews on other ships ran wild, leaving everyone fearful of hearing an alarm and eyeing vents suspiciously.

Except over time exactly what Orange had said would happen came to pass, quiet discussions between two or more crewmates in the corner of the cafeteria spread dissent. Whispered conversations were carried out in the halls and important questions were asked.

_Who was the imposter?_

_Why hadn’t they struck?_

_With their mission nearing an end would they all make it so safety?_

And, more and more often, _Was there even an imposter?_

_That’s just what it wants!_ Orange had snarled, when Cyan suggested that they just go back to their normal routines.

Fingers were pointed.

_Green had been spotted alone._

_Only because Tan had tripped and fell and was right around the corner._

_Blue took too long in the engine room._

_Yellow would sit down to take frequent breaks and tell whoever they were with that day to go on without them._

Accusations flew.

_Brown was too quiet._

_Pink talked too much and worked too slow even if they weren’t helping White._

_Cyan never wanted to take care of the garbage._

And a new question was asked,

_Why are we letting Orange tell us what to do?_

They argued in circles well into the night, tensions running over and giving way to genuine anger while Orange remained aloof, listening smugly to it all and ignoring every accusation thrown his way, which only further inflamed tempers.

It lasted until White broke into tears, begged them all to stop and clam down.

Silence followed.

Silence and angry glares between accusers and the accused.

The next day, perhaps sick of everyone partnering off as quickly as possible and finally having caught on to the reasoning behind it Orange spoke first.

_White’s coming with me today._

The silence was deafening.

_Maybe it’ll workout_ , Cyan said quietly as she went with Yellow, _White gets along with everyone._

_And Orange doesn’t get along with anyone_ , Brown said grimly in passing, _It’ll be like matter and antimatter._

In unspoken agreement, everyone tried to keep an eye on White, make sure that they were okay as Orange grew increasingly frustrated.

His shouting echoed through the halls, other teams stopping their own work to make sure everything was alright.

The day dragged on and on, all work slowed down by the ordeal.

White suffered in determined silence, doing their best as they always did, while Orange went from frustrated to furious as White again struggled with the wiring.

From a dark corner of the engine room Orange began to yell, saying the most vile, unforgivable things, yelling loud enough that his words echoed through the vents.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, frozen in horror as they listened in.

It went on and on until there was a scream, shrill and inhuman that rose painfully and cut off far too abruptly.

The imposter had finally been provoked into action.

Somehow, the entire crew arrived up at once, expecting the worst.

White stood there hunched over and fearful over Orange.

What was left or Orange.

Most of the body was gone and what was left was unrecognizable.

Brown later commented that, if not for Red standing right next to him he would have thought it was Red there on the floor.

An emergency meeting was called, though for the longest time no one spoke.

_We need to get rid of…_ Tan started, but couldn’t finish.

Black offered to take it out the airlock and Pink volunteered to clean up as long as someone would come with them.

After that a silent agreement was reached.

A report was sent out that they’d dealt with the imposter, that there was nothing to worry about and that was the end of it.

The crisis was over, normalcy restored.

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief and went on their way, no hushed whispers, no sidelong glances.

A good night’s sleep was needed, in actual beds, not the cafeteria floor, and after that life would go on.

The next day no one said anything as they went about their tasks, White fumbling through theirs, but trying their best, the same as always.


End file.
